Then

Chapter 2: We've Come So Far Since That Day

Thanks so much for the reviews! And for the story alert/author alert adds…I just realized I never thank you guys, and you deserve thanks as well! So, thank you! I've been going back and forth between finishing this up, finishing up the next part of Whatever It Is, and writing a paper for class, so…this should be fun! :)

_._._

"Look at me!" Erica came bounding down the stairs, into the kitchen. "Look!" she gracefully spun in a circle, showing off her new leotard and ballet slippers.

"Excited for ballet class tomorrow?" Chandler asked, loading the last of the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Yep!" she skipped over to him.

"You're gonna be the cutest ballerina there," he leaned down, giving her a kiss on top of her head.

"Daddy, you cannot kiss the ballerinas," she stated, crossing her arms, and Monica just laughed. "And I'm not cute. I'm beautiful!"

"Yea, Daddy," Monica smiled at him.

"Look at me, too!" Phoebe ran into the kitchen wearing a dress-up tutu, quickly spinning in circles.

"Very pretty, also," Chandler nodded.

"Yea, but she's not a real ballerina," Erica huffed, leaving the kitchen.

"Am, too! Am, too!" Phoebe followed her older sister, leaving both of their parents laughing.

_._._(flashbacks are in italics…in case that's not obvious…)

"Hey, Mon, look what I got! It's the cutest thing!" Chandler exclaimed, bouncing through the door of their apartment with a shopping bag, obviously in a good mood. He stopped, though, calming down when he saw her sitting on the couch, obviously not sharing his mood. "Honey, what's wrong," he walked over to where she was, sitting beside her.

Monica shook her head. "It's nothing," she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "It's stupid."

"It's obviously something that's not too stupid, if you're crying about it," Chandler said softly, touching the back of her head.

"It's just, god, this is going to sound selfish," Monica looked down, twisting the tissue in her hand. "I just, I guess…"she trailed off after a moment, standing up. "Never mind," she turned and walked towards the bag he had left in the kitchen. "What did you get? Something for the baby?"

"Mon," Chandler walked over to her, and her fake smile again fell.

"I guess I just thought that," she looked down, taking a deep, very shaky breath. "I thought that when we had a baby…it would be, well, our baby," she whispered. "I know it's so selfish of me to say, because someone else is giving us their baby to raise, but," she paused again, looking up at him. "I want to be a mom."

"You are going to be a mom! You're going to be the best mom!"

"No, Chandler," she again shook her head. "I want to be a mom," she repeated slowly, tears filling her eyes. "I want that part of it. I want those nine months. I want-I want to take a pregnancy test, and have it say 'yes,' and I want to have some ridiculously corny way of telling you about it," she continued. "I want the doctor's appointments, and the morning sickness, and feeling it kick. Feeling that connection," she leaned against the back of the couch. "I want people to ask me when I'm due, and-and I want to get mad at you because of the hormones," she gave him a very small smile, causing Chandler to smile as well. "I want all that," she whispered, and Chandler moved over to her.

"I know," he whispered, pulling her into his arms. "I want all that, too."

"It's just not fair," she said against his chest, and he held her close, closing his eyes to stop his own tears. "I mean, Ross has two kids, neither one on purpose. Two! And we can't even have one. God, what's wrong with me," Monica pulled back. "That was a horrible thing to say! I love Emma and Ben..."

"Nothing's wrong with you, Mon. I think, I think it's normal to feel that way," he said softly, playing with her hand. "But know what? You, we, may not get those nine months, but do you know what we get?" he paused. "Everything else! We're gonna be there when the baby is born, and we're gonna-we're gonna be there when they're crying all night and just won't stop," he smiled at her. "And, when they say their first word, take their first steps," he continued. "And, yea, they may not have your eyes or my smile, but, Mon, we'll be 'Mom' and 'Dad,'" he finished with a smile. "The rest really won't matter."

Monica smiled, tears in her eyes. "I know," she nodded, leaning in to kiss him. "I know," she repeated, settling into his arms as he wrapped them around her tightly. "Have you been practicing your make-me-feel-better speeches?" she added after a couple minutes of silence, causing Chandler to laugh.

"In the mirror every morning!" he grinned and was happy when she returned it.

"So, what did you get?"

"Oh yea!" Chandler jumped up, grabbing the bag from the table. "I couldn't decide which of the two to get, so I just got both," he pulled out two onesies, and Monica's eyes again filled with tears. One was embroidered with "My Mommy Loves Me" and the other with "My Daddy Loves Me."

"They're perfect," Monica whispered, hugging him. "I love you so, so much."

"I love you, too," he kissed her on the lips before wiping away the last few lingering tears. "So, so much…"

_._._

Chandler smiled, watching Erica show the family what she learned at her first dance class, and Phoebe, who was following along as best she could. Jack rolled his eyes, not interested in watching his sisters' dance. When Erica finished with a curtsey, he sighed with relief as Chandler and Monica clapped for the girls.

"Finally!" Jack jumped up, running out of the living room.

"That was really good!" Monica pulled both of them in for a hug.

"No, I was really good," Erica crossed her arms. "She can't be. She doesn't even have real ballerina shoes," she stomped off.

"I do, too! I do, too!" Phoebe followed her out of the room. "They have little bows on them, see!"

Chandler laughed, pulling Monica back on the couch with him. "So, this is what I missed out on by being an only child."

"Oh, this and more," Monica laughed. "Just wait a few more years."

"Can't we just hit 'pause?' Like, stop them now, and keep them little forever?"

"I don't think they've come up with a remote for that yet," Monica teased, standing up. "And do you really want that part to last forever?" she motioned to the girls having an "am not!" "am too!" argument in the hallway.

"Eh," he shrugged, watching as she went to break up the fight. "Mon?"

"Hm?" she turned to face him.

"Love you," he smiled.

"Love you, too," she smiled back, lingering a moment longer before leaving the room. "Erica, Phoebe, what did I tell you earlier?"

Chandler just smiled. Yea, he would pause it right here if he could.

_._._

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then

(Then, Brad Paisley)

_._._

To be continued…

I realize I haven't said exactly how old the kids are yet…and I just know someone is going to point that out in a review. So, I know you don't know, but be patient. You will find out soon, promise! Ok, now go review, because that will make me want to spend more of my study-breaks writing :)